Carmel Sparke and Paul Smith“ I WISH to clarify the present situation

with you in my own words,” Dr John Stuchbery begins.

“ Six weeks ago, Albury Wodonga Health terminated my VMO contract.

“ The decision was made by the board and no reason was given … I am able to reassure you categorically that it was nothing [ to ] do with my clinical performance.”

This is Dr Stuchbery, a highly regarded breast cancer surgeon, in his letter sent to hundreds of GPs in September.

He has served 27 years at the local hospital on the NSW / Victoria border, but was suddenly told by management that he was out and given three

staff, medical students, nursing students, nurses, junior doctors, senior doctors and, of course, my patients.”

The local health authority told Australian Doctor it could not comment on individual cases and so could not respond to Dr Stuchbery’ s allegations about the motivations for the termination.

But Dr Stuchbery says his relationship with his bosses took a turn for the worse two years ago when he was interviewed by The Border Mail, the local newspaper, about the proposal for the redevelopment of the hospital.

The surgeon, a one-time local councillor, was then, as now, a vocal supporter of a new single-site hospital, rather than a revamp of

where one senior management colleague had apparently spoken about what the changes to the cancer centre— an end to a public-private partnership with Ramsay Health Care— would deliver to the community. After he finished, Dr Stuchbery says he said:“ I do not believe a word of what you just said.”

This was taken as accusing them of lying rather than giving his view that they were wrong about the promised service improvements that would result.

months’ notice.

the existing facility.

“ So whilst the ele-

There seems to have been little

ments in the com-

gratitude for the long service. The health authority, in an unusual step, then decided to write to the local GPs in the area to let them know of his fate.

It is not clear why. As Dr Stuchbery goes on to explain in his own GP missive, giving GPs updates on hospital staffing has never been

‘ It was nothing to do with my clinical performance.’

— Dr John Stuchbery

plaint, to a large extent, happened, I don’ t think swearing in a meeting where there’ s no patients, no nurses, no junior doctors, is a sackable offence,” Dr Stuchbery told Australian Doctor this month.

“ I didn’ t swear at anyone.

normal practice.

“ The other item was an email

But then Dr Stuchbery appears

that I sent [ to ] my director of sur-

to be one of those doctors who

“ The current site is constrained,”

gery that was a little bit— I term

speaks on issues where manage-

he says,“ and there’ s not going to be

it sassy.

ment prefers silence.

enough beds.

“ And then they falsely accused

“ It is my firm belief that I have

“ The ED’ s too small, the ICU’ s too

me of calling [ redacted ] a liar.”

been dismissed by [ Albury Wodonga

small and the theatres are too small.

News of Dr Stuchbery’ s sack-

Health ] for my continuing criticism of

There aren’ t enough dialysis chairs,

ing has sparked outrage in the

the hospital redevelopment and, most

we’ ve lost our helipad, and we’ re

community, including from doc-

recently, the proposed changes to the

going to lose our hydrotherapy pool.

tors, patients and nurses who have

management of the Albury Wodonga

“ There’ s just lots of stuff that’ s

demanded he be reinstated.

Regional Cancer Centre,” he explains.

not good.”

There will be only one breast can-

patients if he’ s

His termination, he said, was

But a day after The Border Mail

cer surgeon at the hospital, which

not around.”

“ categorically” unrelated to his

story appeared, Dr Stuchbery says he

serves around 300,000 people, until

The surgeon says

clinical skills.

was asked to resign as director of sur-

a replacement is recruited.

he is heartened by the

“ In the 27 years I have worked

gery. He reluctantly agreed.

He currently has a waiting list of

outpouring of commu-

at Albury Wodonga [ Health ], my

The relationships never improved,

300 patients.

nity support, but is doubt-

skills, knowledge, clinical judge-

he says.

GP Dr Colin Cameron, a co-owner

ful it will have an impact on

ment, technical expertise and

A few months ago, the manage-

of Indigo Family Medical, says 90 %

hospital management.

“ Now they’ re just sitting it out,

bedside manner have never been

ment lodged a complaint against him,

of their surgical patients are treated

“ It gives me a warm feeling

waiting for it to, I guess, they’ re wait-

brought into question.

he claims, referring to swearwords he

by him.

inside, but it doesn’ t translate

ing for it to die down.

“ Nor does my dismissal relate to

had used in a meeting, as well as an

“ He goes above and beyond,”

into actual change,” he said.

“ Unfortunately for them, I’ m not

poor behaviour in the workplace,”

email he had sent to three doctors.

Dr Cameron recently told The Bor-

“ These guys— they’ ve termi-

going to let it die down.”

he added.

There had also been discus-

der Mail.“ I’ ve got great support and

nated me. They’ re happy that I’ m

His last day with Albury Wodonga

“ I get along very well with support

sions at a medical staff meeting

respect for John, and I fear for my

terminated.

Health is 4 November.

Dr Rebecca McGowan.

Carmel Sparke DR Rebecca McGowan is one of the local GPs left reeling when she read the letter from Albury Wodonga Health telling GPs to no longer refer to Dr John Stuchbery.

“ That letter came out of the blue. It was printed out and left on the table in our staff tearoom.

“ The doctors all went— WTF— because we rely on John so much for our referrals and it made no sense. It was a devastating loss.”

Dr McGowan described Dr Stuchbery as professional, ethical, respected, skilful and highly regarded.

But GPs had been unable to get any answers from the health authority about his sacking, given there is just one surgeon left to manage 300 patients on the waiting list.

“ The medical professional community is reeling. We’ re scratching our heads,” Dr McGowan continued.

“ We’ re concerned about what’ s going

to happen for our public patients.

“ We’ re concerned about what’ s going to happen with our BreastScreen patients.

“ And what’ s going to happen with our First Nations patients— who John really cared for.

“ We really do feel that we deserve answers.

“ Most importantly, we would like John’ s VMO position reinstated as soon as possible. That’ s all we’ re calling for.”